100 WILD BEASTS AND TIIKIR WAYS CHAP. 



mid this system of watchers should be continued until they meet 

 the extreme ends of the right and left flanks of the beating line. 

 It will be seen that by this method there is a chain of communica- 

 tion established throughout the line, both flanks being in touch 

 with the right and left mucharns by watchers in the trees only 50 

 yards apart. The tiger, if within the beat, will be completely 

 encircled, as it will have the guns in front, the line of beaters in a 

 semicircle behind, and a chain of watchers in trees from 30 to 50 

 yards apart from either side of the line to within sight of the 

 mucharns. If the jungle should be tolerably open, the tiger cannot 

 move without being seen by somebody. It now has to be driven 

 before the beaters, and it should be induced to select a particular 

 direction that will bring it within distance of one particular 

 mucharn. 



Each man who may be perched in the trees, which form a chain 

 from the right and left extremities of the line, will be provided 

 with several pieces of exceedingly dry and brittle sticks ; he will 

 hold these in readiness for use whenever he may observe the tiger. 

 If he sees that the animal wishes to pass through the line, and 

 thereby escape from the beat, he simply breaks a small stick in 

 half; the sound of a snap is quite sufficient to divert the tiger 

 from its course ; it will generally stop and listen for a few moments, 

 and then being alarmed by the unusual sound, it will again move 

 forward, this time in the required direction, towards the guns. In 

 this manner the animal is gradually guided by the unseen watchers 

 in the trees, and is kept under due control, without any suspicion 

 upon its part that it is being conducted to the fatal spot within 30 

 or 40 yards of the deadly aim of an experienced rifle. This lead- 

 ing of the tiger requires considerable skill, as much discretion is 

 necessary in breaking the stick at the proper moment, or increasing 

 the noise should it be deemed expedient. As a rule, the slightest 

 sound is sufficient to attract the attention of a driven tiger, as the 

 animal is well aware that the shouts of a line of beaters are in- 

 tended to scare it from the neighbourhood ; it is accordingly in 

 high excitement, and it advances like a sly fox slowly and 

 cautiously, occasionally stopping, and turning its head to listen to 

 the cries of the approaching enemy. Any loud and sudden noise 

 would induce it to turn and charge back towards the rear, in which 

 case it is almost certain to escape from the beat. 



Some tigers are' more clever than others, and having escaped 

 uj)on more than one occasion, they will repeat the dodge that has 

 hitherto succeeded. It is a common trick, should the jungle be 

 dense and the ground much broken, for the tiger to crouch when 



